Castelo Sforza
Using techniques such as GPS mapping and soil penetration 3D radar, a team has now discovered tunnels under Sforza castle that resembles a 500 -year -old Leonardo da Vinci sketch.
One underground tunnel networkwhich is believed to have been designed by Leonardo da Vinci for over 500 years, was discovered under the historic Sforza Castle of Milan. Researchers suggest that these recently identified structures, which are part of the Fortaleza’s first military defenses, can be just the beginning of a widest hidden complex.
Sforza Castle, located in downtown Milan, dates from the mid -thirteenth century. Over the centuries, it has undergone significant modifications, and only about one sixth of its original structure Stand currently.
Around 1495, the Lord who ruled Milan commissioned that of Vinci and other artists the decoration of the interiors of the castle. During this period, from Vinci also produced sketches of fortifications, including several passages that had been lost over time – so far.
“There are still underground passages, some of which are open to public visits,” said Francesca Biolo, architectural historian at Milan Polytechnic University, to. “But it became clear that it can There is a lot more in these ways than what is currently known and accessible. ”
As part of his investigation, Biolo collaborated with the Sforza Castle authorities and the Codevintec Italian engineering company to develop new techniques for digitizing historical structures. The team used state -of -the -art technology such as laser scanning, GPS mapping, soil penetration 3D radar and photography for Create detailed virtual models of the underground spaces.
“The results were much more significant and intriguing than we had predicted,” said Biolo. The study revealed additional rooms at a second underground levelas well as an previously unknown passage that runs parallel to an existing one. These findings are very close to the fortifications illustrated by Da Vinci in their sketches of 1495.
Although Da Vinci’s experience in military defenses is well documented, investigators cannot confirm the extent of their direct involvement in the construction of these passages. “Leonardo da Vinci was a great knowledge of the military structures of his time,” explained Biolo. “However, it is not possible to determine the exact dimension of their role in the design of these structures.”
Despite the enthusiasm around these discoveries, the excavation continues to be impractical due to structural and urban constraints. “We would all like to physically explore these spaces,” said Biolo, ‘but it is essential to respect the integrity of the site and the limitations of the city.’
With advanced technology to continue to reveal hidden elements in the history of Milan, researchers will continue to hope that more information about the underground past of Castelo Sforza will come to emerge.
